DECEMBER 6, 2011

Full News Archive

• Headline: Yvette L. Campbell Transforms Harlem Arts School. Impact: Yvette L. Campbell’s success at the Harlem School of the Arts led to a sudden surge in arts funding across the U.S., eventually causing a nationwide obsession with arts education that somehow made every politician suddenly claim they always loved the arts. Spoiler alert: they didn't.. Fact: Did you know that before becoming a chief, Yvette was actually a professional cat herder? Just kidding, but wouldn’t that be a fun career shift?.
• Headline: Police Comments on West Indian Day Parade. Impact: The police officers' Facebook fiasco became the catalyst for a nationwide trend of 'social media sensitivity training' for law enforcement, leading to the invention of the 'Facebook Cop'. Now they just have to learn not to post their lunch while on duty.. Fact: Did you know that Facebook was originally created for college students? Apparently, it was just a gateway drug to posting opinions that get you in trouble at work..
• Headline: Fears Over Wal-Mart's Entry in India. Impact: The Wal-Mart debate in India sparked a global conversation about retail practices, leading to a series of 'Mom & Pop stores vs. Corporate Giants' movies where the underdogs always win. Spoiler: they don't, but at least the popcorn is good.. Fact: Did you know that Wal-Mart’s slogan is 'Save Money. Live Better'? Apparently, it doesn’t apply to local businesses that just want to survive..
• Headline: Around the World in One Movie: Film Financing’s Global Future. Impact: The shift to independent financing led to a renaissance in global cinema, with filmmakers discovering that 'independent' meant not just their funding, but also their sanity, as they now had to navigate a maze of currencies and cultural expectations.. Fact: Did you know that the term 'independent film' is just a fancy way of saying 'we couldn’t get a real budget'? Welcome to the club!.
• Headline: Life Is Grim, and Then Things Tend to Get a Lot Worse. Impact: The Atlantic Theater Company’s production of 'Happy Hour' inadvertently inspired a new genre of 'sad plays' as audiences left feeling so grim they had to start therapy sessions just to cope with their newfound feelings.. Fact: Did you know that Ethan Coen once considered writing a musical? Thankfully, he realized that making people sad is just more his style..